Hot Teaser: Disney’s ‘Maleficent’

Here’s a longer look at Angelina Jolie and those wicked cheekbones in Disney‘s Maleficent, which tells the classic Sleeping Beauty tale from the evil sorceress’ POV. Elle Fanning stars as the snoozing princess opposite Jolie in the VFX-heavy live-actioner helmed by production designer-turned-director Robert Stromberg. This promo vid, which aired on Disney Channel, blends scenes from Disney’s animated classic Sleeping Beauty with the May 30 3D release:
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34 Comments

Anonymous • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

yowza those cheek bones are sharp and scary

A. Drifter • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Does Matt Smith have a credit on this movie? I recall this being an idea he hatched while at Sean Bailey’s production company back in the day? If his name is on the movie, I suppose there would be no other reason apart from it really having been his idea, since Sean wouldn’t even credit his own mother with giving birth to him if he thought he could take the credit for himself. Whatever the case, the movie looks like a giant hit. So glad Rich Ross isn’t there to take credit for it.

jj • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

At least Snow White had a huntsman.

FTCS • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Disney has been desperately trying to find this film…but, I think either they missed it or there is not one to be found.

This still may be a fun and good part for Angelina…but this trailer had nothing to generate any interest other than her.

This may be , yet another, costly Disney mistake. It appears the execution leaves much to be desired.

And, by the time all is said and done this will easily with marketing, prints, etc. exceed well over 200 million to 300 million.

Disney has its work cut out to maximize all of Maleficent’s potential revenue streams should it be a box office dud.

Tom • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

This has got to be the worst looking CGI I’ve ever seen. Isn’t this director supposed to be some sort of VFX genius?

Walter Palmer • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

It reminds me of the shlocky fx from NBC’s Robert Haimi miniseries’s in the 90s.

Richard Sherman • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Well I’m the best corner in the game, and this trailer is mediocre… mediocre. LOB!

Vaughn Leland • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

This isn’t really a trailer. It was a PR piece that was shown on the Disney Channel. Think of it that way.

Does it ‘feel’ like a modern trailer in shape or form to you you?

Lurker • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

If that is the case, then Disney is once again showing how their live action marketing team can’t develop and execute cohesive strategies. It is amazing how extreme the gap between their ability to execute animation campaigns and live action campaigns.

Wicked • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

It’s quite surprising that with all that money, Disney can’t put together a good teaser trailer. Just once I’d love to be surprised and get goose bumps when watching these teasers/trailers. Instead, 99.9% of the time I yawn and wish for better marketing efforts.

rocketeuropa • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

I think the above comments are WAY off the mark. I think Disney has a solid hit on their hands with Malificent unlike Lone Ranger and Carter. People are well aware of this character (-well, yeah, they are aware of LR too, but this movie seems to be less of a screw up then that western, alien to the Disney stables) and Mal has a lot more “punch” than LR and Carter combined. Disney seems to be much more comfortable with this type of fantasy than any other.
Yeah, this will do well.
I’ll be there.

People are more aware of this character than the Lone Ranger? Umm, no, just no.

mmm • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Yeah for anyone younger than 30. No one cares about the dinosaurs who are more aware of Lone Ranger anyway.

skeptical potato • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

I’m with ya, I think this will be a hit for the Cheekbones Factor alone.

dan • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

I’m not getting the hate, either. I want to see this one. I’m not even a huge Angelina fan, but those cheekbones alone are worth the price of admission.

And there is awareness for this character, Disney’s animated films aren’t exactly obscure.

On the other hand … they have a lot to make up for that Huntsman movie, it was almost unwatchable.

S4H1 • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Disney didn’t do “Huntsman” (Universal). The only connection between productions is Producer Joe Roth who has Produced all of the fairy tale live-action movies going back to Wonderland (Snow White, Oz, Maleficent).

If you meant that the genre must overcome the Huntsman film, you are probably right. Oz did pretty good though.

Anonymous • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

*Correction: Writer John Lee Hancock is also involved in both Huntsman and Maleficent.

Dustin • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Seriously the CGI giant thorns look awful.

roy • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Same old Disney whitewashing. Worse than what they did in Saving Mr. Banks.

Bill • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

You realize this movie’s not about real people, right?

matt • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

In 2014, comes the next Disney Live Action film write off! They should stick to animation.

Paul Barzman • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

‘Sleeping Beauty’ Elle Fanning looks Deadful! Those dark brown-black eye brows mixed with a cheap blond dye job makes her look like a California surfer – or hooker from Sunset Blvd. The director should have been fired for letting this pass. Poor Elle Fanning, a fine actress, to be burdened with such tastelessness.

I am getting a “Jack The Giant Slayer” vibe from that trailer because, according to Wikipedia (not a great source, but for generally information it’s OK) this movie cost somewhere between $130-$200 million.

I would have called this a failure at $100 million; anywhere north of that, things are going to look pretty ugly in the Land of Make-Believe.

Rob • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

With all these live-action, fairy tale films being greenlit, I’m waiting for one to actually turn out good.

bob • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

This looks like a hit to me!

Alex Brown • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Doesn’t make any sense.

Farzan • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

I think this will do good money, but that was an awful trailer. Disney really needs a new marketing team.

Mark Kelley • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

The significance of break-even to the Disney corporate bottom line generally is what exactly? Globally, if not a total disaster, you get your budget back then have the ability to write off all other costs in a perpetual balance sheet state of never-in-the-black? That seems to be their movie strategy these days. Squeaking by with an attendant financial strategy plan in place. Call it what it is. A live action version of “Sleeping Beauty” with the female villain as the star. That in and of itself gives this some lift. I’ll see it. Angelina Jolie looks great. I’m looking forward to it. But what’s next Joe Roth? The special effects version of the telephone directory? It certainly feels familiar enough to audiences well-worn and rifled through as it has been forever. Apparently the requisite “big budget” stuff in order for the studios to survive require subjects already familiar to the audience. In this regard I give “Gravity” a salute for effecting originality in just the F/X genre alone. Nobody says this. Nice mature family entertainment too. Maybe a little intense for younger kids but so was “Old Yeller” a little bit. And “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Adventure stories are supposed to be intense. In any case “Maleficent” looks great. I intend to see it and I’m sick of these forbidding narrator special effects trailers.

rob • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Terrible trailer if you can call it that. It was on the Disney channel – so who knows what this is.. To grab kids this is a good way of showing the cartoon becoming live action. . have a gut feeling this will be gold for Disney.

Abba • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

The Prince looks like a boybander who couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag much less a magical dragon. Jolie is the only good part of the film so far. I really hope this surprises and is not as bad as it seems.

burrrbank • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Does the Prince end up inside the magical dragon?

Neil • on Jan 20, 2014 2:47 pm

I have nothing against Elle and if fact I think she has a lot of talent and on-screen charisma; in fact I think she is to Dakota what Jeff Bridges is to Beau Bridges; time will tell. That said the prince hardly looks “Charming”.